1) AR this is a combitation of the meat world and the Matrix.
AR in its most basic form is when you look at and touch the screen of your commlink (like people did back in 2020). In earlier editions of Shadowrun you would normally interact with your commlink and the matrix as a whole by using AR glasses, AR glove and earbuds. In SR5, however, most people interact with their commlink directly with their brains by wearing trodes or implanting a datajack (this also give them access to "super AR" which also include smell and taste).
People are basically always considered to be connected to the matrix through their commlinks.
Same as people back in 2020 would always be considered to be connected to the internet through their smartphones.
If you are connected to the matrix (which is basically always) then you are also in AR mode.
- You are not experience AR if you are using VR or Astral Perception/Projection.
- You are also not experiencing AR if your commlink is destroyed or placed inside a Faraday's cage or is turned off etc.
You can use your legs to go anywhere and interract with any object both physical and Matrix. But can you enter Hosts in AR?
Sure.
Same as people back in 2020 could walk around at downtown Seattle and at the same time browse a site in Japan on their smartphone.
Do you need first to enter, say library, in the meet world and then enter the library's host?
Nope.
You can sit at a cafe, drinking your soycof, and at the same time using your commlink to access the library's host. The only requirement is that you have a mark on the host (if it is a public library then the library's host will probably invite you to place your mark on it).
Or you can, seeting at home, use Matrix Perception to find library's host and enter it buy request?
You don't even need to use Matrix Perception.
The distance to all hosts are considered to be zero and they are immediately obvious.
No test is required.
(Unless the host is running silent, you didn't already spot it and you don't have access on the host already)
The CRB suggests a -2 penalty to meat space tests when you're focusing on the Matrix.
SR5 p. 229 Augmented Reality
If your attention is really focused on your AR display and not your surroundings, your gamemaster may impose a –2 dice pool penalty on any Perception tests you make to notice things going on around you in physical space.